US President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, suggesting that the Ukrainian leader won’t be around very long without reaching a ceasefire agreement with Russia.
Trump’s remarks came after a heated exchange in the Oval Office, where he accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for the US military aid provided to Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Trump also downplayed reports suggesting he might cut military support to Ukraine, stressing that a deal could be quickly reached if both sides were willing.
“I believe Russia wants to make a deal,” Trump told reporters, adding that Ukraine’s president should be more appreciative of the billions of dollars in aid received from the US.
Trump also lambasted Zelensky’s comments in London, where the Ukrainian leader reportedly suggested the war might drag on for a long time. On his Truth Social platform, Trump called Zelensky’s statement “the worst” and warned that America would not tolerate it for much longer.
During a meeting at the White House on Friday, tensions escalated between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelensky, with the Ukrainian president pushing for American security guarantees in any potential truce. Trump later suggested that Zelensky needed to apologize for the conflict.
Trump’s comments came as he met with top aides to discuss next steps on Ukraine. He also downplayed the possibility of halting military aid, stating, “We’ll see what happens.”
